Hot Topics:

Angelique Espinoza concedes HD10 race to Edie Hooton

By Sarah Kuta

Staff Writer

Posted:
06/29/2016 11:03:54 AM MDT

Updated:
06/30/2016 02:39:30 PM MDT

Edie Hooton, left, and Rita Mahoney celebrate the initial ballot results during Hooton's state House District 10 election party at Shine Restaurant on Tuesday in Boulder. (Jeremy Papasso / Staff Photographer)

After reviewing the number of uncounted ballots in the Colorado House District 10 Democratic primary race late Wednesday afternoon, candidate Angelique Espinoza conceded to her opponent Edie Hooton.

"The unofficial vote count has fallen in favor of my opponent," Espinoza said in a statement. "Barring unexpected developments during the audit process and curing period, that will remain the case."

Angelique Espinoza, right, assembles American flag lanterns with her campaign strategist Elisabeth Patterson during a Colorado House of Representatives House District 10 election party at the Dairy Arts Center on Tuesday in Boulder. (Jeremy Papasso / Staff Photographer)

She conceded late Wednesday afternoon, the day after the primary election. With 191 votes separating her from her opponent, Espinoza said earlier in the day that she wanted to learn more about the number of remaining ballots before making a decision. Hooton, meanwhile, was confident that she had won.

Espinoza congratulated Hooton for working hard and digging deep to win the Democratic primary.

There is no Republican candidate in the race.

"I know she will put her heart and soul into serving our community," Espinoza said.

Hooton said she was confident that she would maintain her lead over Espinoza once all the ballots were counted. She noted the results aren't official until they're certified, so she wouldn't declare outright victory.

Advertisement

She said she had a "really great" conversation with Espinoza early Wednesday evening.

"This race was won by less than a couple hundred votes and we both acknowledged how hard our supporters have worked and how hard we have worked and how we really do share common goals for this community," Hooton said.

Boulder County election officials announced late Wednesday that there are 404 Democratic ballots that could be counted in the House District 10 race over the next eight days.

Military and overseas voters have until the eighth day after an election for their ballots to arrive in Boulder County. There are 189 military and overseas ballots that could be counted in the House District 10 race.

County officials also said there are 35 ballots in that race that have the potential to be "cured" by voters. These are ballots lacking a signature, for example. Those voters will be notified by mail or email by Thursday and they have until July 6 at 4:30 p.m. to address the issues.

There are also five ballots that were picked up on election night from the central U.S. Postal Service processing facility in Denver and 175 reserve ballots. Reserve ballots are those ballots held back by election officials to protect the anonymity of overseas and military voters and voters in small precincts.

Election officials will count these and other remaining Boulder County ballots on July 6 and update the unofficial election results that night.

A recount is held if the margin between the two vote counts is less than 0.5 percent of the highest vote count. A recount can only occur after all ballots — including overseas, military and cured ballots — are recorded.

The county estimates that 38,475 total Boulder County voters participated in this primary election, though not all of those voters live in House District 10. So far, 36,566 ballots have been counted.

"I appreciate everyone voter who participated in this election, regardless of who they voted for and I'm committed to representing them," Hooton said.

Espinoza said the campaign was never about her as an individual, but rather about "lifting up the progressive ideas that will make our state a better place." She thanked campaign staffers and volunteers for their work.

"We raised important issues, told the truth, built community and built our bench," she said.

The Boulder alt-country band gives its EPs names such as Death and Resurrection, and its songs bear the mark of hard truths and sin. But the punk energy behind the playing, and the sense that it's all in good fun, make it OK to dance to a song like "Death." Full Story